What I don't like about '17 CX 5
 

Recently picked up the 2017 CX 5. The PW switches on the CX 5 are do not illuminate, and the passenger switch is not auto up or down. On my '08 CX 7, both PW switches are auto up / down and are illuminated. With the navigation system on the 2017 I don't understand why when you are switching the radio stations the station display is not shown on the Nav screen. Even my '11 Corvette has the Radio station display showing on the navigation screen and that technology is 12 years old. Also, I don't care for the Voice activated technology on the new Mazda CX 5. I don't think the microphone a sensitive enough does not pick up your voice. I noticed that the Nav guidance voice goes in and out after I set it at a reasonable volume. Let me know of anyone finds these issues a little annoying.

The non-illuminated window switches has been a complaint of mine since the CX-5 was introduced. At least they did put an illuminated door lock on the driver's door this year.

I don't remember the radio stations appearing on the previous gen CX-5 when the NAV map is displayed.

I've had no problems with the voice recognition feature. The other day, the request button on the steering wheel did fail to launch the voice command prompt.

All-in-all, the 2017 is a nice upgrade from the Generation 1 CX-5s and they were no slouches.

apparently the window switch has been a complaint for a while. I read about this in one other group too.

How funny!! I picked up my CX5 GT last night.. First thing that annoyed me was exactly that!!
One PW up down only and no illumination on those knobs.. I just sold my Dodge Caravan 2012 which had both D and P PW Up and Down and illimunated on all swicthes..
Pretty sad at that price.

Even our 7 year old Camry Hybrid has full auto up/down on all 4 windows and every button is lit. Daughter still drives our 1 owner '92 Camry LE where all window/lock buttons are lit.

Why Mazda sought to light the rear hatch power button but not where drivers/passengers sit is beyond me.

My annoyances with my '17 CX5 Grand Touring with Premium Package:
I agree, all the power window switches should illuminate. At least on the Grand Touring they are chrome-tipped and a little easier to find. I've seen some videos of the '17 CX5 in other parts of the world and they DO have illuminated window switches on all doors. This will probably come to the US in a year or two, at the very last on the Grand Touring. I'm thinking about seeing if these switches are interchangeable with the US CX5.

I'm also annoyed that there is no retained power to the radio when the ignition is turned off (before opening driver's door). Similarly, the retained power to windows and sunroof is odd. At shut off of ignition, only power to driver's window is available and none even to the sunroof. Really strange.

Radio station not appearing in the Navigation display isn't new to me. My '13 Volvo S60 worked the same way.

I think more and more equipment will be available on the US CX5 year after year. Along with these annoyances addressed. In other world markets the CX5 can be equipped with: power folding mirrors, around view cameras and even headlamp washers. I would look for some of these to make it to our market during this generation.

West Coast, USA Just got my CX-5. That lack of power folding mirrors is annoying. I got the Grand Touring and saw on Youtube that folding mirrors DO exist! This was almost a deal killer. Wake up Mazda.
Anyone have the part numbers for the mirrors? Also after reading your other complaints, the illuminated switches part numbers?
Another thing, there is a general lack of storage in the front for the driver/passenger. I am moving from a Toyota Mini Van where they seem to think of everything. Anyone have some storage ideas for us? Looking forward to being part of this group and enjoying the new car. Other than these small annoyances, an amazing car.

I really don't know what Mazda was thinking in designing these cars without retained accessory power. Just about EVERY other car on the planet seems to have this yet Mazda does not. Mazda really needs to pay attention to the details of what other manufacturers are doing. It's so annoying to shut your car off only to find that you've left a window open, or the sunroof, and then have to turn the ignition back on to shut the window. Stupid really!


That said, on the 2016.5 CX-5 if you would like to have the infotainment powered up after you shut the car off, there is a way.


Once you place the car in park, hold the shifter button in as you shut the car off. The car will shut down but it will remain in ACC mode with the infotainment system powered.

On my '17, I found by pressing the start button a few times would turn on the ACC. This is important as I run errands alone and often my passenger sits and reads in the car. They must be able to open a window when wanted. You can press it too many times and it shuts back off. But at least there is a way. In the '90's, I had a cell phone store and we all had Bag Phones. When you turned off your Japanese car, you turned off your call. :) Rewired a bunch of them, so this is an improvement.

What you mentioned above is all spelled out in the owner's manual. What I mentioned above is not.

What is ACC? Thanks!

ACC is short for accessory, the position of the ignition switch that turns on the radio and other interior features, but does not allow the engine to start.

Conrad 16.5, thank you. I did not find the ACC switch I mentioned in the quick start guide and have not finished the full manual yet. You discovery is useful.

You're welcome but it's not my discovery. I just passed it along.

Annoyed by lack of features
 

Have been seriously considering and examining 2017 CX-5. I have concluded that they made this a cheap car by leaving out certain things. 1) Parking sensors, and reverse braking are not available (rear sensors are available, but it's difficult to find a car with them). 3) The memory seat buttons are part of the seat, they are not located on the door. I don't think these buttons control the mirror settings. In my opinion this is a very cheap and unreliable way to build in this feature. I would like the HUD but won't buy it with this seat memory button set-up. 4) Both front window switches are not completely automatic. How much did they save by doing this? 5) The console is too wide and will probably break due to constant stress from the driver's right leg. I feel this is a poor design and don't trust it to last without breaking. On a positive note, I agree that the car dives nicely.

Soul Red Metallic Paint Option
 

I created a separate thread on this topic but had no feedback. Took delivery on our 2017 CX-5 GT a few months ago. We opted for the Soul Red option at $595. I love the looks of it but I'm very skeptical as to the quality of the paint. Already have numerous chips on the hood and can really tell how thin the paint is. Also there seems to been very fine swirl marks which appear to be under the clear coat. All of this is confined to the hood. I alerted the dealership early on so it was on record. The dealership is well over an hour away from our home and will bring it to their attention again when I bring it in for it's first service. Anyone else have the Soul Red option that are not pleased with it? I also wonder about how complicated the paint process is and how hard it would be to duplicate it if repainting was ever needed.

I own a 16.5 CX-5 and while over here we do have power folding mirrors we don't have lock/unlock switches. When you manually move the lock bit all locks respond automatically. Also, the US gets lumbar support while japanese built CX-5 for Central America do not. Like we don't need lumbar support. I never thought I could find so many differences in the same car.

Those differences make no sense. Perhaps we should cross reference the part numbers. I wonder if you could add locking switches. Often manufacturers use one wire harness, so all the wiring is in place. Lumbar support, I think some aftermarket type could be added, but the cost to make it look OEM means uncovering the seats and recovering them. It might be cheaper to buy a pair of US seats.
Thanks for the information! Jack

I can't stand the Navigation system. The interface is TERRIBLE. For example, after going through the nonsense to set my home address, I then select "Navigate to Home" and... nothing. The screen shows a map of my home address with the useless cursor on top of it; that's it. No directions from where I actually am. What is that?!

Once, I was fooling around with it, randomly pressing buttons, and suddenly, it was in a mode THAT TOLD ME WHAT STREET I WAS ON. I thought that was great! Then we turned the car off, and that was that. Never found that setting again. It's really annoying to be driving along unfamiliar roads, and trying to remember the name of the road you're on, especially at night when the street signs aren't as visible.

I can't stand that the radio doesn't come on until the system has decided that you've had enough time to read the warning screen that displays every time you start the car. This NEVER happened in any other car I've ever had. I'm trying to listen to the ball game, I run out of the house, start the car, and by the time the radio actually starts, we're into commercial. Did he get out? Is the other team changing pitchers? I don't know - I have to wait. It's annoying as hell, and it's unnecessary.

This system is so bad, I told my GF that we are never buying another Mazda product, EVER, without road testing the nav system. If it isn't improved by the time we're looking for our next vehicle, it won't be a Mazda.

It's too bad, because we really enjoy the rest of the car, but the nav/entertainment system is so awful, we get a negative experience every time we're in the car.

WAKE UP MAZDA!!!!

Nav system, more dislikes
 

Frankdrak, I cannot agree more. The old GPS on my dash was easier to use than the built in system. Their software and that annoying connection to the radio....
I do not like to listen to the radio all the time, yet it turns on nearly every time, even though it was off when I turned the car off.
The most annoying thing on the GPS, it cannot be adjusted without stopping the car! At least I do not know how to enter a new address via the voice input while driving. Sometimes, it needs to be done. Sometimes it is not safe to stop the car! What seems like a safety system actually makes me feel unsafe.

Blame the nannies for that.